Lesson update!

Monroe and I had a wonderful lesson today, AND our new special girth came! Its a bates girth with the CAIR system air cushion and a wider belly plate. She had been egtting sore from out other girth-she's very sensitive!

Anyway, for the lesson,

she started out really nice and stretchy, although alittle strange in the left hind... but she seemed to work out of it so its no big deal! We worked on some equitation for the show this weekend, and it went well. We even got a clean lead chage to the right over a pole! (The right is our hard side)

We put out a line of poles, which went ok, but then we started getting frazzled and Monroe started to lock up. NOOOOOOOOO... luckily we have learned that the best thing to do is go back to basics and let her unwind a bit. I have also realized that I tend to get stressed when instructions are constantly being thrown at me. I am very aware of everything, and I know a lot of what we are working on right now... Sometimes I need my instructor to give me a command, and then LET ME WORK ON IT on my own for a bit. I am much more relaxed and it gives me time to think and figure things out. Anyway, she let me work with Monroe for awhile on my own to settle her while she worked with my friend.

I worked on lots of trotting the poles instead of cantering and getting her to really loose and relaxed. Lots of down transitions to get her paying attention and not rushing... Once we relaxed we were able to canter the line nicely both directions, and we even set the poles up to fences... SHE JUMPED LIKE A SUPER STAR. I'm so excited, my horse has major talent hidden in there!

On another note-we've been riding in the field behind the neighbor's place, and having some major slippage problem. I could not figure out a solution. Studs were the obvious answer, but I really did not want to put shoes on her hind feet. I spent the day thinking up ideas... and I came up with basically a better fitting easy boot with studs... I checked their site for ideas and lo and behold THEY HAVE EXACTLY WHAT I NEED! I have to wait for my paycheck, but after that I'm measuring her feet and ordering a pair of easyboot gloves with studs and power strap! I'm super excited :]